Aggregating multiple flows into a shared data trunk requires packet flow ID encapsulation. In one technique, packets belonging to a user flow are encapsulated with unique information that makes the flow unique throughout a network. Each of these encapsulated flows is referred to as a pseudo-wire. In some cases, multiple pseudo-wires are simultaneously operating in a network.
There are many techniques available to set up a pseudo-wire between two end nodes. However, in some networks some devices are configured to support one technology while other devices are configured to support another technology. In some cases, these technologies may be incompatible and an error message may be returned when a device receives a message associated with another technology. It would be desirable to develop techniques to set up pseudo-wires in networks where different technologies are supported in different parts of the network. It would be also desirable if these techniques could conform to existing network standards or specifications and/or some currently deployed devices could continue to be used, for example without requiring upgrades or reconfiguration.